The University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with Chabot College and Merritt College, seeks to increase substantially the number of community college students from the targeted populations who transfer into and successfully complete biomedical and behavioral science degree programs at four-year institutions. The three-tiered strategy seeks to 1) strengthen the transfer culture at the colleges and increase awareness of biomedical and behavioral science career opportunities; 2) nurture a cohort of students who aspire to transfer into these fields; and 3) identify fifteen outstanding students each year to participate in a rigorous program of study and faculty-mentored research at Berkeley. A team of distinguished scientists, experienced transfer preparation professionals, outstanding graduate researchers, and talented undergraduates will design and implement curriculum, support strategies, and structured research experiences for the Bridges students. The goal is to increase by 100% the overall number of students from the targeted population who transfer from the partner institutions into the specified majors; to increase the transfer rate of Bridges students to 75% and to increase the graduation rate of Bridges students who transfer to 75%. Ultimately, the aim is to significantly increase the pool of well-trained minority biomedical and behavioral scientists. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Bay Area has not only been at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution, but is one of the most diverse areas in the country. Still many groups of people that have large communities in the region have not had a sufficient opportunity to help benefit from - and create - this dynamic growth. The Berkeley Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program will expand dramatically a pipeline of underrepresented students to academia and industry, where they can become leaders in the fields that will shape the first half of the 21st century.